Former MEGADETH drummer Nick Menza reportedly passed away Saturday night (May 21) while performing with the band OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California. He was 51 years old.
One person who was present at The Baked Potato last night told BLABBERMOUTH.NET: “It appeared to be a seizure but [Nick] stopped breathing. Two patrons took over and began CPR until EMS arrived. EMS worked on him for 25-plus minutes, including adrenaline shots, three shocks and non-stop compressions.”
Menza’s death was confirmed in a message written by his friend Allen Hall, which was shared on Menza’s official Facebook page.
Allen wrote: “We lost an amazing talent and fantastic person yesterday. Nick Menza was the nicest and most sincere guy you should ever hope to meet.
“He would take the shirt off his back to help you if you needed it. He had a passion for artwork, not just metal music.
“Nick, you were taken too soon, it must have been a mistake, the world was a better place with you in it. I will miss you dearly my friend.”
MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine tweeted: “Tell me this isn’t true. I woke at 4am to hear Nick Menza passed away on May 21 playing his drums with Ohm at the Baked Potato. #nickmenzarip.”
Mustaine’s son, Justis, also paid tribute to Nick on Twitter, saying: “Rest in peace Nick Menza.”
A Facebook post from The Baked Potato stated simply: “RIP Nick Menza.”
Menza joined MEGADETH for the 1989 recording “Rust In Peace” and for the next nine years became associated with the band’s “classic” and most profitable era.
Menza claimed in a 2015 interview that the attempted reunion of the “Rust In Peace” lineup failed to materialize because Dave Mustaine “didn’t wanna show me any love at all.”
The drummer said that he was approached by Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson to replace Shawn Drover at the end of 2014, and that he had started working out new tracks with the band. But the plan collapsed after he was offered a contract he described as “very unfair.”
In addition to Menza, OHM: featured another ex-MEGADETH member, guitarist Chris Poland.
Menza joined OHM: last year after the passing of the band’s previous drummer, David Eagle, who suffered a heart attack and had open-heart surgery in May 2015.
Last week, it was announced that Nick would unveil an art collection crafted from the new medium of “rhythm-on-canvas” on June 16.
Menza had been working with art team and publisher SceneFour on the collection titled “Rhythm Hits The Wall”.
TELL ME THIS ISN'T TRUE! I woke at 4 AM to hear Nick Menza passed away on 5/21 playing his drums w/Ohm at the Baked Potato. #nickmenzarip
— Dave Mustaine (@DaveMustaine) May 22, 2016
Rest In Peace Nick Menza
— Justis Mustaine (@Justis_Mustaine) May 22, 2016
Source: Blabbermouth
